Geranium Legacy
by ErekLich
Summary: Vash's child grows up without any knowledge of who he really is. But there comes a time when the past can be hidden no longer...
1. Past Investigations

Geranium Legacy

Summary: Vash's son grows up knowing nothing of what he is. But the time comes when your past cannot be avoided...

Disclaimer: I don't own Trigun, and am making no money from this.

I always knew, growing up, that I was different from the other kids.

I mean, I learned pretty early on that I was just a little stronger, faster, hardier, and probably smarter than all the other kids around. I learned to hide it too, lest I cause resentment. But it was impossible to hide completely; especially the fact that I healed faster than anyone else. Though I never asked anyone, I could tell from people's reactions to things like that that it was _not_ _normal_. I stood out just enough that I knew I was different. My family was, too.

Well, I guess all my female relations are _normal_ enough. A bit eccentric, to be sure, but _normal_. Mom was pretty scary when she was mad, but she wasn't srtongerfastersmarter like I was. I don't think she sees or hears as well either...

Aunt Milly is really tall, but otherwise _normal_. Well, I guess she isn't my Aunt, not in the strictest sense of the word; but she tells me to call her Aunt Milly, and when someone who makes pudding that good asks for such a simple favor you do it.

Her daughter, Annie, is _normal_ too, apart from being a tomboy. The grown-ups all say she's got her mother's looks (easily verified) and her father's attitude. From this, I judge that the near-mythical "Nicholas D. Wolfwood" was impulsive, rude, and got into a lot of trouble. But I don't mind; I like Annie just the way she is.

Heh. Ever since I turned 15 a few months ago, I don't know how to call what I feel for her anymore. I mean, I like her, but I really _like_ her too... and I can't think about her without thinking all sorts of... stuff. Dad says that's _normal_ for a boy my age. But since when has he been one to talk about _normal_?

Dad is strongerfastersmarter too. He does a really good job hiding it, but he is. The thing is, he looks way too young for someone who's old enough to be my dad. I mean, he looks maybe 30, at most! And that would mean he was 10 when he had me! Something's not right there. And then there's how he reacts to _doughnuts_. I mean, imagine what a cross does to a vampire, but in reverse. I tell you, it isn't natural...

And finally, on the high end of the _not-normal_, is my uncle. He's pretty creepy. He's strongerfastersmarter too, and on the rare occasions he tries to hide it he only makes a half-hearted effort to do so. Plus, he's really shut in. He doesn't seem to like talking to anyone but my dad; everyone else he seems to just tolerate. And for the most part, people tolerate him right back. And he gives me the most crucial evidence I have that I'm not _normal_, too. Whenever the two of us are alone, he'll call me Spiderfly. I have no idea what he means, and I'm too afraid to ask. Besides, I don't think he'd tell me.

He too is part of the silent conspiracy to keep my _not normal_-ness from me. Oh, the adults all slip up and make vague references to things I know nothing about form time to time, but I don't prod. Well, I didn't prod until yesterday. But I'll get to that. The most direct thing I have is, again, about my uncle. I was talking to Aunt Milly once about how my uncle was so shut off from people, and how wierd that must be. She laughed, and said "Oh, he used to be a lot worse you know! He's been a lot better since - " She then realized what she'd said, and asked that I forget it. I lied to her, but I haven't brought it up or anything.

And it isn't just my family who acts wierd, either. Whenever we go to town, all my dad's friends (which he has an incredible amount of, for someone who looks 30) seem to hesitate as they say his name. They don't say "Alex", they say "... Alex". But the three dots are really smushed up and barely there. I didn't even notice until I started looking for things, but the pause is there. Barely.

So, the whole point of this rambling is, I guess, to sum up why I eventually asked dad what I was. See, we were going into town and...

Huh? Me? Oh, well, I do so hate self-introductions, but if you insist... I am Nicholas Saverem, grand exploer of Life, child of Alex and Meryl Saverem, at your service! Now, as I was saying...

Me, my dad, my uncle, and Annie were going to town. Now, we live in a town so it may sound strange, but what I mean is we were going to a big city to buy things that we can't get at home. I mean, the sand steamers don't even stop at our town! But anyway, we were going to town. At one point, Annie spoke up.

"Uncle Richard?"

"Child, how many times must I tell you I am not your uncle, and I do not wish to be addressed as such." Dad and I watched on in a combination of fear and curiosity.

"Sorry. MR. Richard, can we stop?"

"Why?"

"I need to go, that's why!" Uncle rolled his eyes. Dad jumped (well, not literally) to Annie's defense.

"Come on, bro! You could use the time to strecth your legs!" Uncle rolled his eyes again, but pulled over by a convienent outcropping of rock. As Annie dissapeared to do her business and Uncle left (presumably to stretch his legs) Dad and I were left by the car.

Screwing up my courage, I finally resolved to ask him what had been on my mind for the better part of my 15 years.

"Hey dad?"

He put on his mock-serious face. "Yes, son?"

"... Am I human?"

Well, I normally wouldn't ask for reviews but I would like to know if people want me to continue or not. So please tell me! If I get too many reviews that say "I've read this fanfic a million times, why are you making another one," then I'll probably stop... Of course, encouragement means I'll go on! Oh, and I'd like to know if I made it clear enough who's who without using their real names?


	2. Sound Investments

Geranium Legacy 2 Sound Investments

A Trigun Fanfic

Disclaimer: I don't own Trigun, and am making no money from this.

"Well of course you are, son! Whatever made you think otherwise? Ah-hahahahaha!" At this Dad slapped me on the back. For a second there, I sighed, relieved, and started to smile again.

Then I actually thought. And looked at the expression on Dad's face.

"... ALL human?" Dad stopped laughing, and got his mock-frustrated look on.

"You're pretty sharp, I'll give you that. Tell you what, sport! Why don't you hold that thought until we get home? It's a long story, and your mother will want to be in on this conversation."

I considered this, and he had a good point. Mom got _scary_ when Dad left her out of things. Like really scary. When I was little, my Dad would help me with the "monsters under my bed" by saying that Mom would be mad at them. And it worked. "Okay, but I will want to know..."

"Don't worry son, I think it's about time you knew anyway." Dad smiled down at me, and I knew that whatever he was keeping from me, he had only done it with my best interest in mind. Relieved of a 15-year burden, I smiled as I walked around the car.

Uncle wandered back soon after, and eventually Annie sauntered back in too. The mood overall much brighter (even Uncle was smiling for some reason, and he never smiled!) we continued our journey.

The arrival in town was unremarkable, really. We parked the car, and as we got out Annie asked "So, Uncle, when do we meet back up here?"

"Oh, let's see... how about we meet back up at lunch? That'll give you two lovebirds about two hours to explore!"

"Dad!" I blushed.

Annie just smiled and grabbed my arm. "Come on!" She ran off, dragging me with her.

The next two hours were a fun-filled blur. Well, they were for Annie. I mostly got to carry her shopping bags as she gleefully raced from store to store. A rather loud part of my mind found this annoying, demeaning, and just plain no fun. But there was also this little voice in the back that piped up, 'But she likes it...' Bah. I ask you, how can it be so _normal_ for a guy to change around a girl? Even if she is really cute...

All at once, Annie's body, normally almost blurry it moved so fast, came to a complete stop. Peeking from behind a large paper bag filled with silly gifts for everyone, I strained to see what had caught her eye. I almost had to catch my own breath, it was so beautiful. There in the jewelry shop was a silver cross shaped to look like two long-barreled guns, barrel down. Their handles formed the cross-piece, and the ornate hammers were the top. It was amazing. I was snapped out of my reverie as an ear-piercing cry filled the air. "It's HOW much?" Annie was now assaulting the poor salesman; she'd jumped on him and was holding his collar, yelling right in his face. "Come on, mister! I know it looks really pretty but don't you think 200 double dollars is a bit pricey? I mean, come on, I could get like three bus rides for that!"

"Okay, okay, 150 double dollars, but that's as low as I go missy! Any lower and I'm losing money!" Annie bounced off the poor man, grabbed her purse, and started to desperately count out her remaining money.

"I've been saving my allowance for 6 months for this shopping trip, and that'd better be enough!" I did some quick mental math. I should mention that mental math is another area in which I am subtly but inescapably better than _normal_... Knowing her allowance, and how much she'd bought already, I figured she'd be a little short. I desperately tried to free a hand to get at my wallet. Precariously balancing the bags, I managed to pull out a 20 double dollar bill, just in time for Annie to come up short.

"137 double dollars and 15 cenz!" She forlornly declared. "Come on Mister, surely that's good enough?" she was putting on her best puppy-dog look, but apparently the salesman wasn't as susceptible to it as I was, because he started shaking his head. Fortunately, I was able to waddle over (still holding all the bags with one hand!) and put my money in the man's hand. Annie looked up from her pout and stared at me in awe. "Oh, Nick! You don't have to!"

I blushed furiously, and looked down at my feet. "Well, it is for a pretty thing..."

"Oh, thank you!" She proceeded to give me a furious hug that nearly made me drop the bags. As she scampered away holding her "pretty thing" aloft, I paused to catch my breath.

"Good luck with that one, sonny. Seems like you got your work cut out for you!" I was too mortified to speak, I just nodded and followed after my pretty thing.

At long last, it was time for lunch. Annie skipped over to greet "Uncle" Alex and "Mister" Richard, then sat down at the table that our restaurant had. Dad looked around, confused, and asked, "Hey, where's Nick?" Annie became confused, and looked around for me.

"He was here a minute ago..." I then put down my burden, revealing that I was not in fact a pile of bags with legs, I was Nicholas Saverem. Everyone but Uncle had a good laugh at my expense over this.

As we ate, Annie took the opportunity to show off her new trinket to the adults. "Isn't it amazing? It's so beautiful and I love it and I'm gonna give it to Mommy just as soon as we get back!"

Dad got an almost sad look in his eyes, but he was smiling all the same. "I know she'll love it Annie. It reminds me of your Father, so I know she'll love it." Annie smiled again, and put the cross back in it's box.

Lunch passed peacefully, and then we headed to our last stop in town - the bank. As we approached the doors, I saw a car parked coming down the block. I only caught a glimpse of the men inside due to cross traffic, but what I saw scared me. Several looked thuggish, but one of the men riding in back was covered, head to toe, in black robes. He had some sort of dome over his head, and I couldn't see his face. Spikes graced his belt and shoulders. Then we were inside.

As we stood in line, bored out of our skulls, Annie turned to me and said "Hey, thanks for your money. I'll pay you back as soon as I can!" I was about to reply when the door opened. And when I say opened, I mean was forced inward by an explosion. As everyone dove for cover, I saw, almost as if in slow-motion, all the men in the truck save the one in black. They ran in, guns out, yelling incomprehensible things at everyone. When the dust settled they leveled their guns at the crowd.

"This is a robbery, ya! We are going to take the money, ya! And a little volunteer from the audience to keep the police off us, ya ya!" The one who had spoken then pointed his gun at a random woman. "You, you will be our volunteer, ya! Ha ha!"

I fingered the gun I had in my back pocket. My parents had gotten it for me two years ago and taught me not only how to shoot, but how not to shoot to kill, how to shoot the gun out of someone's hand, and so on. I pondered how many of the thugs I could disarm before they could react when I ...heard my uncle's voice, sort of.

_Not yet, Spiderfly. _

I stared in amazement. Was that my Uncle? In my mind? As I watched him, his expression unchanging, he continued. _Your father has his own ways of ...handling this_.

And so he did. If I wasn't so busy being shocked that my uncle was a telepath, I would have been just as shocked as everyone else that my dad stood up, hands in the air. "Hey, I couldn't let you do that to such a lovely young lady. How about I be your insurance instead, huh?"

Several guns cocked and re-aimed at my father. "No, no, it must be woman, ya?"

"Surely we can work this out peacefully?"

And then, as if I weren't surprised and flabbergasted enough already, the man in black walked in. "That will be sufficient, Gustav. I think we've finally succeeded." Turning to my dad, he asked, "Did you know that in four cities and five small towns, not one other man has done what you have done. Not one man has been so self-sacrificing. And you match the description quite well. Blonde hair, tall, dislikes violence, but is quite capable of it. So why don't you tell them."

No one moved. No one breathed. I thought to myself, _tell them what?_

"Why don't you tell them the monster they've been harboring here all these years. Why don't you tell them how much money you're really worth. Why don't you tell them who you are..."

He drew a pistol and aimed it at my unmoving father.

"VASH THE STAMPEDE!"

A/N: Wow, you guys are awesome. I never expected such a positive response. Sorry there's no action in this one, but I figure that the action's meaningless without context. You gotta care about Nicholas and Annie before I can put them in danger, right? I promise, next update should sate your lust for Vash's particular way of handling thugs. After all, he has a shootout and bank robbery to deal with!

Huh, it seems won't let me use the dollar sign symbol for double dollars. Can anyone tell me if there's a way to do so?


	3. Bounty Reaped

Disclaimer: I don't own Trigun, and am making no money from this.

Vash the Stampede?

What was he talking about?

Vash the Stampede was a bogeyman, a fairy tale used to frighten children. 'Go to bed or Vash the Stampede will get you.' No one I knew ever spoke of the tales of the Humanoid Typhoon without laughing at their absurdity. Single-handedly reduced two of the towns to rubble? Absurd. Put the hole in the fifth moon? Impossible. Defeated all manner of outlaws and scum without killing _anyone_? No way. No way that any one man could really do all those things. And even if such an impossible man might exist, there's no way he could be my father! Dad's way too young!

Right?

So why didn't dad say anything? Why didn't he tell everyone how absurd it was for him to be Vash? I mean his name is Alex!

_... Wait, no it isn't. No one calls him "Alex", they call him "...Alex" and oh my is he really..._

My father stood there, unmoving. No one moved. Finally the man in black spoke again. "So, you choose not to deny it... good. That makes this so much easier. I am called Hart, the Death Knell Thunder. So you have two choices, Humanoid Typhoon. You can come quietly, or we can kill people. Either way, I'll end up a rich man. After all, 62 billion, 301 million double dollars is a lot of money."

My dad's face finally moved, and what he said made me even _more_ confused. "Hey, whatever happened to 60 billion, huh? That was such a nice, round number..."

"Two years ago a new law required all old bounties to be adjusted for inflation."

"I see. But it's still just not the same!"

The tension mounted as the people gathered, myself included, considered the possibility that Vash the Stampede, the infamous outlaw himself, really stood before us. With several guns pointed at him. _I hope the bank is still standing when this is over..._

Then I "heard" my Uncle's voice once more. _Be ready to act, Spiderfly. Try not to shoot Vash by mistake, or I'll have to hurt you._

Okay, this was too much. Now my creepy, antisocial, and (apparently) telepathic, uncle was calling him Vash too! Out of the corner of my eyes, I saw Annie reaching for her gun. Quick mental calculations time! I figured I could overturn the table behind us and use it for cover quickly...

That was as far as I got planning when all hell broke loose.

A black cat meowed in a window.

This caused three of the twitchy gunmen to turn their aim suddenly to the cat.

Dad used the opportunity to leap to the left, drawing his gun and shooting the gun out of the robed man's hand.

My Uncle stood there, unmoving.

I overturned the table, and Annie and I raced behind it, drawing our own weapons.

The remaining gunmen took potshots at various spots along my dad's trajectory, all missing.

Hart drew a metal staff from within his robes. It had short, spike-covered chains hanging off either end. He readied, as if to jump.

The bystanders panicked, and began mad dashes to cover, doors, windows, and even the floor in a few cases.

Dad shot down a chandelier, causing it to crash into five of the gunmen.

My Uncle casually walked toward the exit.

Hart leaped over the chandelier and toward my dad's position, ready to strike.

My bullet intercepted his staff, causing it to veer from it course to my dad's skull.

Annie shot at the gunmen, causing them to duck for partial cover before returning their equally ineffective fire.

Bystanders continued panicking.

Hart again swung his staff at my dad, who dodged each swipe in precariously impossible ways. His face looked genuinely scared of each swing that left him balancing in akward positions as he avoided the blows.

Uncle simply glared at the proceedings.

I fired at a loose nail in the woodwork of the wall, causing a beam to fall and bonk a thug on his head.

Annie laid down some cover fire to keep them from coming out of cover.

Hart spared a glance to see that he only had two functioning gunmen against me, Annie, and Uncle (who still did nothing.) He grimaced, and leaped backward to the door. "This isn't over, Vash the Stampede!"

"Gee, Mr. Thunder, you're really fast!"

Then, as suddenly as it had begun, it was all over. Hart, the Death Knell Thunder (what a stupid name!) and his cronies retreated. The energy and adrenaline went out of me like a popped souffle.

As I reloaded my gun and collected my thoughts, the bank manager's shadow loomed over my family.

As I tasted the dust of the street outside the bank, I heard my dad yell inside with his whiney voice. "Hey, can't we at least withdraw some money! After all, I am a paying customer!" His response was a slammed door.

"Well, guys, let's go home then. Meryl won't be too pleased that I didn't get the money, and after all, we still need to have that conversation, sport!"

I interrupted Annie's confused look by saying "Yeah, about that..."

"Sorry, son, all questions must wait until after the lecture, and your mom's my assistant teacher!"

Annie finally worked up the courage to speak. "Um... Uncle?"

"Oh, yeah. Well, Annie, I guess you should be in on that conversation too." My dad continued speaking as we walked back toward our car. "When we get home, I'm going to tell Nick here all about it!"

The walk, and then ride, was silent until we exited town. Maybe it was my imagination, but Annie seemed to be sitting closer to me than normal. I know it wasn't my imagination that she was visibly tensed, and shaking a bit. After a few minutes dad turned and looked back at Annie and me in the back seat. "You guys doing okay back there?" Annie mutely nodded.

"I'll be doing a lot better once you explain all this."

"Well, we should be home in another hour or so. I'll make sure the insurance girls are waiting for us." In my still-dazed state it took me a moment to remember that dad sometimes collectively called Mom and Aunt Milly that. It apparently had to do with an old job of theirs...

Annie finally seemed to sink back into reality. "So, are you really V... V..."

"Didn't he tell you he would explain when we arrive, child?" My Uncle glowered with more hate than I'd ever seen in his eyes.

"Well, if I had to introduce myself..." As he spoke it almost seemed that the air sparkled around him, his face boyishly dazzling. "I'd say that I'm a hunter of peace who chases the mayfly known as love!" Then his face once again became serious. Smiling, but serious. "But just to tide you over, yes. I am the 60 billion double dollar man. Well, 62 billion, 301 million anyway. But no more until Meryl's in on it!"

Another hour passed in relative silence, and as promised we soon arrived back at my comfortable old house on the outskirts of town. Also just as promised, Mom and Aunt Milly were sitting on the porch, teacups in hand.

Annie raced out of the car and did her darndest to envelop her mother in a hug. Of course, Aunt Milly was too big for that, but she enveloped right back. "M-m-m-mooooom! Uncle Alex is V... V..."

Aunt Milly interrupted, her usual sweet smile on her face as she confirmed the truth. "Vash the Stampede? Yup, that's the Legendary Gunman all right! Hey, don't feel bad dear. Your Aunt Meryl couldn't believe it either, not for a long time."

"Yeah, short-girl, I recall you doubted my incredible abilities until I single-handedly defeated the entire Nebraska Family!"

Mom got all huffy. She usually did when called short-girl. "Oh? I seem to remember that _I_ defeated half of them at that farm, not you!" Dad sweatdropped. "What? Don't tell me you fired that shot too! I told you to stay out of it!"

"Aw, come on Meryl, can't we let bygones be bygones?"

I just stared, dumbfounded, as Mom chased dad all around the yard, screaming bloody murder. Aunt Milly was still comforting Annie, who didn't seem to be taking things well. Uncle stepped up beside me. "I can't believe he chose this life..."

I sighed. Today was not my day.

A/N: Hey, I hope you guys like this chapter! To be perfectly honest, it's my first time doing a real action scene, so if you review please let me know if it was any good!

Aine of Knockaine: Wow, I didn't expect a review from you! Might I take this opportunity to praise Forever Mine as highly as I can:) But in response to your comment, I for one find it incongruous to think that Vash wouldn't stick around. I mean, the closing credits make it abundantly clear to me that Vash and Meryl want to start a life together...


	4. A Past You Can't Bury

Disclaimer: I don't own Trigun, and am making no money from this.

* * *

At long last, things had calmed down enough that my parents were ready to tell Annie and me the story. Uncle watched us silently from the corner, as usual... no, he wasn't watching us. He was watching me, specifically. Aunt Milly was making us all some tea and cakes. Annie finally seemed to not be stressed about the whole thing; her body wasn't tensing anymore and she was smiling. I did notice she still seemed to be sitting closer to me than she normally did... I briefly debated devoting some brainpower to pondering the significance of that, but decided that for now I should be more worried about who my dad was... and _what_ he was.

"Well, let's see now... where to begin? At the beginning, I suppose." His voice shifted into a different mode, that of the storyteller. Annie and I listened in wonder as he began to weave for us the tale of his life. "My true name is Vash, and my brother's true name is Knives. We were born on a ship, one of the very ones that crashed into this planet. Well, I say born but I'm not entirely sure that's an accurate word. Found might be better... you see, we're not human, as Nick has already guessed. We're plants." He paused to let us silently absorb this information. "We were found by the crew of that ship, but most of all we were found by Rem... Rem Saverem. She was like a mother to us; in many ways she was our mother, just not biologically. She taught me the value of peace. We spent a year there, and grew to the size of small boys. It was then that the ship found this planet." He paused as if to collect his thoughts.

"You see, the ship we were one was one of many. It was the ship of Project Seeds, humanity's last hope. Humans had, in their carelessness, destroyed their own planet. The ships were their desperate attempt to survive. We were going to move on and look for a planet that would be easier to live on, but..."

As he hesitated, his voice sounded painfully broken. It was then that my uncle broke his silence. "But then I happened."

"Knives..."

"No, brother, I think that your son deserves the entire truth. And if his woman wishes to hear it as well that is his business."

I blushed furiously. _Why does everyone assume Annie and I are together? It's not like that at all! Not right now, anyway..._

"I decided that humanity didn't deserve to live." Annie and I stared at my Uncle. I'd always known he didn't like people, but to that extent? "I felt... at the time... that humans were inferior beings unworthy of the second chance they wanted to take for themselves. I still feel that they are inferior," he added with a glare at my dad, "but your father... convinced me to try and see their value. But back then, I decided that the only recourse was to kill them all. I reprogrammed the ships to crash-land, all but mine and Vash's. I was going to let Rem live, but she sacrificed herself to undo my meddling and make sure that the ships would land safely enough for humanity to live."

Uncle one again fell silent, but his gaze never left me. I saw Annie hug herself tightly out of the corner of my eye, and I felt the urge to put my arms around her. But I fought it, thinking that this wasn't the time or place. Finally, my dad once again spoke.

"Naturally, I wasn't too happy with Knives. We fought. And in the end, I left. Ran away, really. And then, for the next hundred years or so, I was just a drifter. Until July, at least."

Annie once again couldn't seem to take it. "What? You did destroy July? How could you? Can this day get any worse? I find out my Uncle's a mass-murderer, and now my other Uncle isn't just any killer, he's Vash the Stampede, destroyer!"

"Silence, child! I will not tolerate such insolent talk!" Everyone assembled stared at Richard... no, at Knives. The look on his face was enough that I didn't doubt the accuracy of his name. "In all his life, in all his pathetic years, in all this time my brother has only killed one man. One! And I made him!"

Annie balled her fists. "I HATE YOU!" She ran from the room, crying as if the tears were endless. Aunt Milly silently left to follow her.

I swallowed, hard. "Uncle, I don't understand..."

"Don't worry son, we don't expect you to understand it all. Heck, I'm not entirely sure I do. But you can't look away from the past, not forever." Mother came and wrapped her arms around me from behind.

"So... what happened to July and Augusta?"

"I blew them up. Well, Knives made me do it, I guess."

"I forced him to use his power, against his will." My uncle chuckled ruefully. "I spent twenty years regenerating for my trouble."

There was an uncomfortable silence. My dad and mom cried a bit, and my uncle never stopped watching me. It was like he was trying to see into my very soul, see how I handled this information. Aunt Milly and Annie finally came back much later, and Annie sat _right_ next to me, her leg touching mine, her head on my shoulder. _As if I weren't confused enough! When it rains it pours!_

My father, Vash the Stampede, continued his tale. He told us about how he drifted from town to town, saving people from themselves, being hunted for the bounty. When he got to meeting my mom, she and Aunt Milly joined in the storytelling too. After what seemed more like days than mere hours, they finally reached the end of the comic, tragic tale.

"... and then Meryl and I saw Mr. Vash out on the horizon carrying Mr. Knives! We nursed Mr. Knives back to health, and Mr. Vash finally proposed to Meryl!"

"And we've spent 17 years since then living in relative peace."

Annie and I had managed to absorb the significance of the tale over the hours, and were now quite calm. Annie jumped out of her seat (and off my shoulder) and jumped on Dad. "Peace? It seems like bandits attack the town at least 4 times a year! How can that be called peace?"

Dad smiled. "Well, I'm glad you're back to your old self. And if you think this is turmoil, you should have seen me in my drifter days! I was lucky if I went three weeks without being shot at!"

They continued to talk to each other, but I ceased listening. I needed to think, badly. I was half human, half plant. What did that even mean about my biology? What did it mean for me in a broader sense?

_It means, Spiderfly, that you are better than almost all the beings on this pathetic planet. You have the strength you need to take your destiny in your own hands._

I won't say I was used to Uncle's voice in my head at that point, but it certainly no longer shocked me into submission. I decided to try something new this time...

_Why do you call me spiderfly? I never have understood._ Knives smiled, the terrifying grin of a predator. Apparently I was able to respond like I thought I'd be. Then my brain exploded.

* * *

A spider, crushed in a gloved hand.

* * *

A sad woman, who looked somewhat like Mother.

* * *

Two young boys, who I recognized as Dad and Uncle, with a butterfly flying past them.

* * *

As I regained my senses, I felt a feminine hand on my cheek. I opened my eyes to see Annie's concerned face. Then I heard dad's voice from somewhere to my left.

"Don't assault his brain like that! He isn't used to telepathic contact; you could've killed him!"

"Bah! He's stronger than that!"

Annie gazed down at me. I gazed back up at her. After a moment, she seemed to realize what she was doing and abruptly pulled her hand from my cheek. "Um... you ok?" I noticed her blushing ever so slightly.

"I think so." I sat up. "Sorry, Uncle, but that didn't really answer my question..."

"So you guys are telepaths too? What next?"

Mom spoke. "Next is it's bedtime. We've all had a long day, and hopefully we can sort this out better in the morning."

Annie asked if she could sleep over here, in the guest room. Aunt Milly decided to stay too, so Annie took the couch and Aunt Milly the guest room.

As I was brushing my teeth, I noticed Annie staring at me. I stopped, spit and rinsed, and walked over to her. "What?"

Slowly, tentatively, she poked my arm. I looked at her. "I just wanted to make sure you're still real..."

"I am. At least, I think I am. I don't feel any different..."

"Um... I still like you, ok?"

"Huh?"

"Even though you're not all human and stuff... I still like you."

"Um, thanks. I like you too."

She smiled softly and walked past me into the bathroom. _Weird..._

Later that night, I awoke. I heard something strange in the distance, something I didn't quite recognize. I got out of bed, and quickly dressed. My instincts screamed at me that something was _wrong_. I grabbed my pistol and went quietly out into the main room. I saw Annie on the couch, still sleeping. Mom was hiding by the window, peeking out while only revealing a small part of her face. She had a grim look on her face.

"Hey there Nick. Looks like those men from the bank followed you." She smiled at me. "I guess it's time to see how you live up to your parents' standards of gunmanship!"

* * *

A/N: Hee, yay angst! I promise I'll try and be more humorous in most chapters, but let's face it, even Meryl cried at Vash's story, and she wasn't related at the time!

Aine of Knockaine: As Knives would say, "They did not _need_ my help, human."

Koronastu: Well, I could put more in each update but that would mean they were further apart. In my experience as a reader of webcomics, fanfiction, and other serialized materials, infrequent updates cause the reader (i.e. me) to get all worked up about the story, leading to disappointment when even more content is not forthcoming. So I'm trying to do smaller to medium updates more often, rather than bigger ones all at once. I do hope that as I get better at this I can put more in each chapter, but for now I hope you can be content with this!

As for Annie and Nick, I'm not saying:) Hm? Oh yes, of course I know where their relationship is going... /sweatdrops ...really...


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